Agricultural fields may be irrigated for selective application of water and chemicals, such as liquid fertilizer and insecticides. Irrigation systems may include center pivots, travelers, and surface irrigation. Center pivots and travelers typically use a well and pump arrangement, and apply between 800-1500 gallons per minute of water and entrained chemicals. Surface irrigation typically uses a gated flooding arrangement with a water supply ditch at the high end of the field. In a field that uses surface irrigation, it is a common practice to also use ridge planting techniques. Plants are grown on ridges with furrows between the ridges. The movement of the water is controlled by the slope of the bottom of the furrows. Water moves from one end of the field to the other via the furrows. As water moves through the field, some of the soil is also moved, so the slope changes over time, and as this happens, the effectiveness of the irrigation system decreases over time. Every few years, when the effectiveness of the irrigation system is reduced to the point that crop yields are affected, the field can be completely leveled using a laser plane and earth moving equipment. The ridges are then put back up again using a special ridge forming tool. The costs to completely level, regrade and reestablish the ridges in the field are substantial.
What is needed in the art is a method and system for maintaining the correct slope in the bottom of the furrows for proper irrigation, and lengthening the duration until new ridges must be rebuilt in the field.